Scissors type continuous mining and loading machine



y 1962 E. R. BERGMANN 3,047,279

SCISSORS TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING AND LOADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-She et 1Filed Feb. 2, 1959 INVENTOR. Ernst R. Bergmann;

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SCISSORS TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 2 30 60 5 INVENTOR.

Eernst R. Bergmann ZTTORNE'V July 31, 1962 E. R. BERGMANN 3,

SCISSORS TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 3 AAA Q AAA 1) AAA AAA g AAA ( AAA AAA AAA AAA AAA AAA AAAAA AAA AA AAA 3 1) ASA 0 AAA AAA ZEAQV)A INVENT OR.

Ernsc RBergmann BY 7 7 ATTORNEY July 31, 1962 E. R. BERGMANN 3,047,279

SCISSORS TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING AND LOADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Feb. 2, 1959 n n a R mm Rx. 3 .mm mmo I 1| 9 1 E g 2 mm. W W m5 1mm 4 R .S 0 @N n T r M Q E fim H (W. :mi E 9 km m m w@ 3 m mm N mm mm QQ Q I o llim ww m \9 g J4 JWI 1| w M II N 3m I I mm 7 v 9 I M9 1 v aw wI NW 09 \o %m Q July 31, 1962 E. R. BERGMANN 4 SCISSORS TYPE CONTINUOUSMINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1959 5 sheets-sheets INVENTOR.

Ernst R Bergmann A TTORNEV atent 3,047,279 Patented July 31, I962 shoe3,047,279 SCISSQRS TYPE CONTINUGUS MEJING AND LOADING MACHINE Ernst R.Bergmann, Evergreen Park, Ill, assignor'to Goodman ManufacturingCompany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 2, 1959,Ser. No. 790,666 9 Claims. ((31. 262-19) This invention relates toimprovements in mining machines of the continuous mining and loadingtype and more particularly relates to such machines as are adapted foroperation in thin seams of coal and the like.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved continuousmining and loading machine for mining and loading in a continuousoperation and arranged with a view toward simplicity and compactness inconstruction and efiiciency in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofcontinuous mining machine particularly adapted for operation in coal andthe like of low vertical height in which mining of the seam is carriedout by side cutting mining heads advancing from the ribs of the workingplace toward the center of the machine during the mining operation, andhaving a more eflicient form of cuttings collecting means for advancingthe cuttings for loading during the mining operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved formof continuous mining machine operating on the side cutting principle byadvancing individual mining heads from the ribs of the working placetoward the center thereof, in which the mining heads are so arranged asto be readily adapted to coal seams of varying heights.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved formof continuous mining machine particularly adapted for operation in lowseams of coal in which the seam is mined by two side cutting angersmovable laterally across a working face from the ribs to the. centerthereof, and utilizing a simplified and improved form of loading meansoperating on the shaker principle, following the mining heads andpicking up and transporting the material for discharge beyond the rearof the machine.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds, and with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a side cutting continuous mining machineconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the forward end portion of themachine showing the side cutting mining heads in laterally extendedpositions with respect to the machine;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the forward part of the machinewith the mining heads removed and showing the supports therefor ininwardly extended positions with respect to the center of the machine,with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown inhorizontal section;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 5-5 of FIG. 1, in order to illustrate certain details of thepick-up and loading mecha- FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view takenthrough the pivot for one of the side cutting angers substantially alongline 7-7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken through one of the sidecutting augers and showing the auger in a retracted travelling position;

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I haveshown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a mining machine 16 of the side cuttingcontinuous mining type, adapted to cut and load an entire seam of coaland the like by advancing two mining heads 11, 11 into the working facewhen positioned laterally, as shown in FIGURE 3 and by feeding saidmining heads across the working face toward the center thereof.

The mining machine 10 includes generally a main frame 12 mounted on apair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices 13, forpropelling the machine from working place to working place and foradvancing the machine into a working face to feed the side cuttingmining heads 11 thereinto. The continuous traction tread devices 13 maybe independently driven in a manner well known to those skilled in theart and are no part of the present invention, so need not herein beshown or described further.

A conveyor 15 is shown as extending along the main frame 12 from aposition adjacent the forward end of said main frame to a positionbeyond the rear end of said main frame for discharging the minedmaterial into a room conveyor, shuttle car or the like, for carrying themined material away from the machine. The conveyor 15 is shown as beinga well known form of center strand endless chain and flight type ofconveyor, which is laterally flexible to accommodate lateral swingingmovement of an overhanging discharge end portion 16 of the conveyor bythe operation of hydraulic swing jacks 17, as is well known to thoseskilled in the art so not herein shown or described further.

The main frame 12 has a shelf-like support structure 19 spaced above andextending in advance of the receiving end of the conveyor 15, andextending between the continuous traction tread devices in advance ofthe forward ends thereof. The shelf-like support structure 19 has anoutwardly flared forward end portion and has stiffening side walls 20extending along opposite sides thereof and along the outwardly flaredforward end portion thereof, and terminating in bearing bosses 21, atopposite corners of the outwardly flared forward end portion of theshelf-like support structure 19 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). A vertical wall 23extends along the forward end of the shelf-like support structure 19 andupwardly therefrom and also terminates into the bearing bosses 21 at itsopposite ends.

The shelf-like support structure 19 forms a support for a reciprocatingdrive mechanism 24 and drive motor 25 therefor, vfor reciprocablydriving a flared feeder trough section 26 suspended from said shelf-likesupport structure and extending across the forward end of the machine.

The shelf-like support structure 19 also forms a support for twolaterally spaced transverse feeder frames 27, pivotally mounted on thebosses 21 and forming supports for the side cutter mining heads 11 andreciprocating loading pans Z9, slidably supported thereon and extendingalong the trailing sides of the side cutting mining heads 11, forpicking up and advancing the mined material to the reciprocating loadingtrough section 26.-

Each feeder frame 27 is of agenerally box-like construc'tion in crosssection and has a bifurcated rear end portion 30 extending alongopposite sides of the boss 21 and pivotally mounted thereon, formovement about the vertical axis of said boss. The feeder frame 27 has agenerally longitudinally extending support arm 31, extending laterallyand longitudinally forwardly of the boss 21, when the mining heads arein the position shown in FIG. 1, and having an inner side wall 32forming a support for the side cutter mining head 11, and an outer sidewall 33 forming a support for a reciprocating loading pan 29. The feederand support frame 27 also has an inwardly extending arm 35 extendinginwardly of the pivot of said feeder frame and having a piston rod 36pivotally connected thereto on a pivot pin 37. The piston rod 36 isextensible from a hydraulic cylinder 39, pivotally mounted at its headend on a bracket 40 extending inwardly of the side wall 20 of theshelf-like support structure 19, and of a rear Wall 41 of said shelflikesupport structure. The cylinder 39 and piston rod 36 thus form ahydraulic jack unit for swinging the feeder frame 27 laterally and forretaining said feeder frame in the laterally extended position shown inFIG. 3 to accommodate sumping of the side cutter mining heads 11 intothe working face prior to swinging said side cutter mining headsinwardly toward the longitudinal center of the machine.

The side cutter mining heads 11 carried by the arms 31 are like thoseshown and described in a companion application Serial No. 790,253, filedJanuary 30, 1959, now Patent No. 2,954,220, and include generally a gearand support housing 43 spaced inwardly of the arms 31 and mountedthereon for vertical swinging movement with respect thereto to adjustthe positions of cutting of the side cutter mining heads. The gear andsupport housing 43 has spaced ears or arms 44- extending inwardlytherefrom and keyed or otherwise secured at their inner ends to alongitudinally extending shaft 45 pivotally mounted on the wall 32 ofthe arm 31 on spaced hearing supports 46 extending inwardly of the wall32 toward the center of the machine as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

The shaft 45 is pivoted and held in position to vertically move theassociated side cutting mining head 11 by means of a hydraulic cylinderand piston unit including a cylinder 49 pivotally mounted at its headend between the side plates 32 and 33 on spaced support ears 50extending inwardly of the side wall 33 and downwardly of the top wall ofthe arm 31 and having a piston rod 51 extensible therefrom and pivotallyconnected at its free end to a rocking arm 53 keyed or otherwise securedto the shaft 45. The admission of fluid under pressure to the head orpiston rod ends of the cylinder 49 may thus elev'ate or lower thehousing and support 43 about the axis of the shaft 45 to vary thecutting plane of the side cutter mining head 11, and to hold said sidecutter mining head in the desired cutting position.

The housing and support 43 has a shaft 55 journaled therein andextending forwardly therefrom and driven by a motor 56 mounted on therear end of said housing and support and shown as projecting rearwardlytherefrom. The drive from the motor 56 to the shaft 55 may be like thatshown in my Patent No. 2,954,200 so need not herein be shown ordescribed further.

The shaft 55 is shown as having a plurality of parallel spaced helicalsegmental vanes 57 and 59 mounted thereon and extending therealong forsubstantially the length thereof. The vanes 57 form spiral conveyingvanes for conveying the mined material rearwardly along the mining headwhile the vanes 59 have a plurality of cutter hits 60 mounted thereinand extending therealong for a portion of the length thereof and formthe side cutting angers, for cutting the material from the solid workingface from the mine floor to the mine roof, to completely mine out theworking face in a sumping and laterally inward cutting operation.

Each set of segmental helical vanes 57 and 59 may beintegrally formedand is mounted on the shaft 55 for expansible movement with respectthereto to vary the cutting diameter of the mining head, as in my PatentNo. 2,954,220. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 8, the segmental helical vanes57 and 59 are pivotally mounted at their advance ends on lever arms 61on pivot pins 63. The lever arms 61 in turn are keyed or otherwisesecured to a shaft 64, coaxial with the hollow drive shaft 55, andrelatively movable with respect to said hollow drive shaft to vary thecutting diameters of the boring head. The trailing ends of the segmentalhelical vanes 57 and 59 are pivotally connected to arcuate links 65 onpivot pins 66. The opposite ends of the arcuate links 65 are pivotallyconnected to lever arms 67, extending outwardly from the drive shaft 55,on pivot pins 69. It will be noted that the axis of each pivot pin 66 isin advance of the trailing end of its associated helical segmental vaneand is so located with respect to the pivot pins 69 and the pivot pins63 that the vanes 57 and 59 will expand and contract on substantiallyuniform arcs as the arm 61 is pivoted by pivotal movement of the shaft64, as in my Patent No. 2,954,220.

The arms 31 of the feeder frames 27 also form slidable supports for theloading pans 29 on pairs of spaced facing generally V-shaped guidesextending inwardly from the walls 33 thereof and having supporting andguiding engagement with pairs of vertically and longitudinal spacedrollers 76, mounted on bosses 77 extending outwardly from plates 79, andhaving V-shaped faces conforming to the guiding faces of the guides 75.

Each plate 79 extends upwardly from and is welded or otherwise securedto a vertically extending side wall 80 of the loading pan 29. The sidewall 80 terminates at its lower end portion into a lagged conveying face81 of the loading pan 29, and extends along the loading pan forsubstantially the length thereof, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

Each loading pan 29 also has an advance serrated edge 83 having slidingengagement with the ground for digging under the mined coal falling onthe ground, to retain the loading pan to the ground and agitating theloose coal suificientiy to cause the coal to be advanced onto theloading face 81 of the loading pan, to be progressed rearwardly alongthe loading pan onto the flared reciprocating trough section 26.

The loading surfaces or faces 81 of the loading pans 29 are inclineddownwardly from the retaining walls 80 thereof at relatively fiatangles, to cause the material progressed onto the loading pans, to forcethe serrated edges 33 to dig into the mined material, and are inclinedupwardly at their rear ends to overlap the forward end of the flaredreciprocating trough section 26, to progress the mined material ontosaid reciprocating trough section as the loading pans 29 arereciprocably driven, in a manner which will hereinafter be more clearlydescribed as this specification proceeds.

The flared trough section 26 slidably engages the ground at its forwardend and is inclined upwardly with respect to the ground in materialdischarge relation with respect to the conveyor 15, at its rear end. Asherein shown, the trough section 26 has a bill or tongue 85 projectingforwardly from its central forward end portion and forming a forwardcontinuation thereof between the loading pans 29. The tongue 85 hasopposite serrated edges for agitating the loose material on the ground,to be picked up by a lagged conveying surface 86 of said tongue,extending therealong and merging into a lagged conveying surface 87 ofthe flared trough section 26.

The flared trough section 26 is reciprocably suspended adjacent its rearend on rocking arms 88 and 89, depending from the platform or shelf-likesupport 19, and is suspended adjacent its forward end on a rocking armdepending from the forward end portion of the platform or shelf-lifesupport 19. The rocking arms 88 and 89 are shown as being mounted onopposite ends of a transverse shaft 91, journaled in bearing bosses 93,projecting forwardly of the rear wall 41 of the support or platform 19.

a) The arm 88 is in the form of a bellcrank and has the arm 94 pivotallyconnected to an upstanding ear 95, on a pivot pin 96. The rocking arm 89is similarly connected to the trough section 26 in laterally spacedrelation with respect to the rocking arm 88. The rocking arm 88 also hasan arm 99 extending at an angle with respect to the arm 95 and pivotallyconnected to a drive link 100 by a pivot pin 1411. The drive link 100 isconnected to a crank 103 of the shaker drive mechanism 24 as by a pivotpin 104.

The arms 88 and 89 may both be keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft91 so that upon rotation of the crank 103 the two arms will reciprocablydrive the trough section 26 with a shaker conveyor motion, progressingthe mined material upwardly along the trough section 26 for dischargeonto the conveyor 15. The shaker conveyor drive mechanism 24 may be ofany well known form, commonly used to drive trough sections to progressmaterial therealong from one end of the trough sections to the other,and is no part of the present invention, so need not herein be shown ordescribed further.

The rocking arm 90 is connected between spaced ears 105 on a pivot pin1116. The ears 10 5 extend forwardly of the wall 23 adjacent the upperend thereof. The lower end of the rocking arm 90 is shown in FIGURE 6 asbeing bifurcated and as being pivotally connected to a connector ear107, extending upwardly from the loading pan 26, adjacent the centerthereof, on a pivot pin 109.

The shaker drive from the drive mechanism 24 to the loading pans 29 isthrough angle drives 111 driven from the flared trough section 26 andproviding a substantially uniform shaker conveying action for theloading pans 29 in all positions of lateral adjustment of said loadingpans with respect to the flared trough section 26. The drive from thetrough section 26 to each loading pan is the same, so the drive to oneloading pan only need herein be shown and described in detail.

As shown in FIGURE 4, a connector ear 112 extends laterally from thetrough section 26 along the flared portion thereof and provides apivotal support for a drive link 113, on a pivotal pin 1 15. Theopposite end of the drive link 113 is connected with an arm 116 of arocking arm 117 on a pivot pin .119. The rocking arm 117 is pivotallymounted at its outer end on a compensating arm 129 on a pivot pin 121.The compensating arm 120- in turn is pivotally mounted on the boss 21 ona vertical shaft 122, journaled in said boss. The compensating arm 120has a shaft 123 journaled thereon, at the end thereof opposite the pivotpin 121, and depending therefrom. A pinion 124 on said shaft meshes witha stationary rack 125, shown as being formed integrally with the boss21. The pinion 124 also meshes with a movable rack 126 spaced beneathand mounted on the underside of the lever arm 35 of the feeder frame'27. The lever arm 117 also has an arm 127 extending in an oppositedirection from the arm 116 thereof, and having a drive link 128pivotally mounted thereon on a pivot pin 12.9. The drive link 128 inturn is pivotally connected with a connector 139 extending inwardly ofthe vertical side plate 79 of the loading pan 29, on a pivot pin 131.Reciprocating move ment of the flared trough section 26 is thustransferred to the loading pan 29, and as the angle of the loading pan29 with respect to the flared trough section 26 changes, due tolaterally swinging movement of the feeder frame 27, the pivot of thelever 117 will change, to compensate for the variations in angularrelation between the loading pan 29 and the flared trough section 26, toprovide a substantially uniform shaker conveyor drive to the loading pan29 in all positions of adjustment thereof with respect to the flaredtrough section26.

In operation of the machine, the feeder frames 27 are first moved, tothe laterally extended position shown in FIGURE 3'. The side cuttermining heads 11 are then held in stationary relation with respect to theworking face, by the holding of fluid under pressure in the head ends ofthe cylinders 39-. The side cutter mining heads 11 may then be.rotatably driven by the drive motors 5 6 and the entire machine may beadvanced into the working face by operation of the laterally spacedcontinuous tread devices 13, feeding the mininghea-ds 11 into theworking face for the full depths thereof. During advance of the sidecutter miningheads into the working face to the required depth, themotor 25 is started to reciprocably drive the flared trough section 26and the loading pans 29, to pick up the mined material and progress itrearwardly along the loading pans 29 onto the flared trough section 26for discharge onto the receiving end of the conveyor 15. Reciprocatorymovement of the flared trough section 26 and loading pans 29 iscontinued for the entire mining operation.

When the side cutter mining heads ll'have been sumped into the workingface for their full depth, fluid under pressure is admitted to thepiston rod ends of the cylinders 39 at a controlled rate, to swing theside cutter mining heads 11 inwardly and cut out the entire seam fromthe mine floor to the mine roof, and to progress the mined materialinwardly toward the loading tongue or pan and onto the receiving end ofthe flared trough section 26, for loading onto the conveyor 15. Thisinward feeding movement is continued until the entire working face hasbeen mined from the roof to the floor and the mined material has beencleaned from the floor. I

It should here be understood that the feeder frames 27 may be movedinwardly and outwardly during lateral feeding movement and may be movedindependently of each other to accommodate the entire face to be minedwithout interference. between the mining heads and to accommodate theloading pans 29 to clean up the mined coal on the mine floor, to providea clean floor prior to the starting of a next succeeding miningoperation.

It should also be understood that when it is desired to set the sidecutting mining heads 11 to operate in seams of coal of varyingthicknesses that it is only necessary to admit fluid under pressure tothe piston rod ends of the'cylinders 49 to raise the mining heads 11above the floor and to then adjust the mining heads 11 to the desiredcutting radius by operation of the shafts 64 and crank arms 61, and tothen lower the mining heads by releasing fluid under pressure from thepiston rod ends of the cylinders '49 to the desired elevation withrespect to the mine floor.

It should also be understood that the pivotal axes of lateral adjustablemovement of the side cutting mining heads 11, are outwardly offset fromthe axes of rotation of said mining heads, so as to eliminatereciprocably driv ing the mining heads along their axes to remove thema- -terial between the bits of the mining heads, as disclosed inapplicationSerial No. 753,763, filed August 7, 1958, by Edward L.Anderson and entitled Mechanical Miner Having Offset Rotary Heads, andassigned to the assignee of the present invention, now Patent No.2,979,- 319, so not herein described further.

While I haveherein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied, it should be understood that various modifications andvariations in the invention may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claimsappended hereto.

' I claim as my invention:

1'. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame having aconveyor extending therealong, a reciprocating trough sectionreciprocably mounted at the forward end of said main frame and having anadvance end portion engageable with the ground, and a rear end portionin material discharge relationship with respect to said conveyondrivemechanism on said main frame for driving said trough section to progressmaterial from the advance to the rear end thereof, two laterally spacedfeeder frames extending forwardly of saidmain frame along opposite sidesthereof, means pivotally mounting said feeder frames on said main framefor movement about vertical axes, individual hydraulic cylinder andpiston means connected between said main frame and said feeder framesfor laterally swinging said feeder frames and for holding said feederframes in position, a side cutting mining head extending along each ofsaid feeder frames in advance thereof and mounted thereon for movementtherewith, a loading pan reciprocably mounted on each of said feederframes in trailing relation with respect to said mining heads and havingmaterial agitating advance edges engageable with the ground beneath saidmining heads, and link and lever drive connections from saidreciprocating trough section to said loading pans for reciprocablydriving said loading pans in all positions of said feeder frames andloading pans with respect to said reciprocating trough section.

2. A mining machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the link andlever drive connections com-prise lever arms mounted for rockingmovement about vertical axes, links connecting said reciprocating troughsection to said lever arms for reciprocably driving said lever arms fromsaid reciprocating trough section, second links connecting said leverarms with said loading pans for reciprocably driving said loading pansfrom said lever arms, and a compensating connection from said feederframes to said lever arms for shifting the pivots of said lever arms inaccordance with lateral swinging movement of said feeder frames, toimpart a substantially uniform conveying action to said loading pans inall positions of lateral adjustment thereof with respect to said troughsection.

3. A mining machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the link andlever drive connections from said trough section to said loading panscomprises compensating arms mounted for pivotal movement about thepivotal axes of said feeder frames, a lever arm pivotally mounted ineach of said compensating arms for movement about an axis spaced fromthe pivotal axis of the associated compensating arm, a link connectingsaid trough section to said lever arm in spaced relation with respect tothe pivotal axis thereof, a second link connecting said lever arm tosaid loading pan, and means connected between said feeder frames andsaid compensating arms for holding said compensating arms stationary andfor pivoting said compensating arms about the axes of said feeder framesupon later-a1 swinging movement of said feeder frames, to vary thepivots of said' lever arms and thereby compensate for differences inangular relation between said loading pans and said trough section.

4. A continuous mining machine in accordance with eating arms forpivotal movement with respect thereto and a stationary rack meshing withsaid pinion.

5. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame having a conveyorextending therealong, longitudinally extending side cutter mining headsspaced in advance of said main frame at opposite sides thereof,individual feeder frames for supporting said mining heads and feedingsaid mining heads laterally with respect to said main frame, meanspivotally mounting said feeder frames on said main frame for pivotalmovement about vertical axes at opposite sides of said main frame,individual hydraulic cylinder and piston means connected between saidmain frame and said feeder frames for laterally swinging said feederframes and for holding Said feeder frames in position, loading pansreciprocably guided in said feeder frames at the trailing sides of saidmining heads and extending therealong and having trailing retainingwalls and advance agitating edges engageable with the ground beneathsaid mining heads, means for reciprocably driving said loading pans toprogress the mined material toward said conveyor, means mounting saidmining heads on said feeder frames for vertical movement with respect tosaid loading pans about axes extending longitudinally of said feederframes, hydraulic cylinder and piston means connected between saidfeeder frames and mining heads for vertically adjusting said miningheads with respect to said loading pans and for holding said miningheads in adjusted relation with respect to said loading pans, and meansfor varying the cutting diameters of said mining heads for aecommodatingsaid mining heads to mine seams of coal of varying thicknesses.

6. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame having a conveyorextending therealong, a trough section having a flared forward endengageable with the ground and a rear portion in material dischargerelation with respect to said conveyor, mounted on said frame forreciprocable movement with respect thereto, drive mechanism on said mainframe for reciprocably driving said trough section to progress materialtoward the rear end of said trough section, laterally spaced side cuttermining heads spaced in advance of said main frame and trough section andextending longitudinally of-said main frame at opposite sides thereof,feeder frames for supporting said mining heads and moving said miningheads laterally with respect to said main frame and reciprocating troughsection, means pivotally mounting said feeder frames on said main framefor pivotal movement about vertical axes at opposite sides of said mainframe, means for mounting said mining heads on said feeder frames forvertical movement with respect thereto about axes extendinglongitudinally of said feeder frames, hydraulic cylinder and pistonmeans for vertically moving said mining heads with respect tosaid-feeder frames and for holding said mining heads in verticallyadjusted relation with respect to the ground, other hydraulic cylinderand piston means for moving said feeder frames and mining headslaterally and holding said feeder frames and mining heads in laterallyextended positions with respect to said main frame, to accommodatesumping of said side cutter mining heads into a mine face, individualloading pans reciprocably mounted on each of said feeder frames intrailing relation with respect to said mining heads and having agitatingforward end portions engageable with the ground, means for reciprocablydriving said loading pans from said trough section, said trough sectionhaving a tongue projecting forwardly therefrom between said loading pansand having opposite agitating edges for agitating the mined material,and said loading pans progressing the mining material toward said tongueto be picked up thereby upon lateral movement of said mining heads.

7. In a mining apparatus, a main frame, a pair of side cutting miningheads extending in advance of said main frame and supported thereon forpivotal movement about laterally spaced vertical axes and includinglaterally movable feeder frames extending forwardly of said main frameand side cutting angers mounted thereon on the inner sides thereof andextending in advance thereof, means for retaining said feeder frames andmining heads in laterally extended positions with respect to said mainframe, to accommodate advancing movement of said main frame to feed saidmining heads into a working face, and for feeding said feeder frames andmining heads laterally of the Working face toward each other,reciprocable conveyor means extending across the forward end of saidmain frame for picking up the material mined by said mining heads,individual loading pans mounted on said feeder frames for reciprocablemovement with respect thereto and extending along said feeder framesinto engagement with the ground, means for driving said reciprocableconveyor means, and drive connections from said reciprocable conveyormeans to said loading pans for reciprocably driving said loading pansupon reciprocable movement of said conveyor means, for collecting andadframe, two angularly movable feeder frames pivotally mounted on saidmain frame for movement about vertical axes at opposite sides of saidconveyor adjacent the receiving end portion thereof, power means forangularly moving said feeder frames about the forward end of said mainframe and for holding said feeder frames in position, conveyor meansextending along said feeder frames for advancing the mined material tosaid conveyor, each mining head including a support housing having aside cutting auger journalled thereon and projecting from the forwardend thereof, a shaft mounted on each feeder frame on the inner sidethereof and extending longitudinally therealong, each support housinghaving an arm projecting radially therefrom and mounted on an associatedshaft, and hydraulic cylinder and piston means connected between eachfeeder frame and an associated support housing for pivotally moving theassociated side cutting mining heads relative to said feeder frames,about the axes of said shafts, and for retaining said mining heads infixed relation with respect to said shafts.

9. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame "having aconveyor extending therealong from a position adjacent the ground at theforward end of said main frame and beyond the rear end thereof, twoindependently movable longitudinally extending side cutting mining headsspaced in advance of said main frame, individual feeder frames forsupporting each side cutting mi ling head and feeding said mining headsfrom positions disposed laterally of said main frame across the forwardend thereof, means pivotally mounting said feeder frames on said mainframe for pivotal movement about vertical axes at opposite sides of saidconveyor adjacent the forwardend thereof, individual hydraulic cylinderand piston means connected between said main frame and said feederframes for laterally swinging said feeder frame and for holding saidfeeder frames in position, conveyor means connected with said feederframes for movement therewith and extending along said feeder frametoward the rear end thereof for advancing the mined material toward saidconveyor, said mining heads each including a support housing havingaside cutting auger journalled therein and projecting forwardly thereof,means mounting said support frames and mining heads on said feederframes for vertical adjustable movement with respect to said conveyormeans about axes extending longitudinally of said feeder framescomprising shafts mounted on said feeder frames on the inner sidesthereof and extending longitudinally thereof, arms projecting radiallyof said support housings and mounted on said shafts, and hydrauliccylinder and piston means pivotally mounted on each feeder frame formovement about an axis parallel to the axis of the associated shaft andhaving pivotal connection with said support housing for verticallyadjusting the associated mining head with respect to the ground and forholding the mining head in adjusted relation with respect to saidconveyor means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,261,160 Joy Nov. 4, 1941 2,607,466 Bebinger Aug; 19, 1952 2,967,701Wilcox Jan. 10, 1961 2,979,319 Anderson Apr. 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS810,413 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES Coal Age, April1955, pages 82 and 83 and March 195 6, pages 66-68.

